St. George, with its large nondrinking Mormon population, isn't one of the West's hot spots as far as bar scenes go. Locals going out on the town will often attend a performing arts event, and perhaps stop in for a nightcap at one of the local restaurants that serve alcohol or a hotel restaurant. Keep in mind that you'll have to buy something to eat in order to purchase a drink.
Dixie State College's Avenna Center, 425 S. 700 East (ticket office tel. 435/652-7800; tickets.dixie.edu), is St. George's primary performing arts venue. The four-building complex hosts a wide range of performances, from country and rock concerts to symphony, ballet, and opera performances -- and even sports games.
Dixie State College, 225 S. 700 East (tel. 435/652-7994; www.dixie.edu), offers a variety of events throughout the school year. The Celebrity Concert Series, running from October through April, has developed a strong following for its programs of music, ballet, modern dance, and performing arts presented by national and international performers. Tickets are $20. Recent offerings have included performances of The Marriage of Figaro and Swan Lake and a concert by the Japanese-born duo-pianists the Mack Sisters.
Not to be outdone, the college's music and drama departments offer numerous performances, including student recitals; band, chamber singer, and jazz ensemble concerts; and theater that runs the gamut from musicals to dramas -- and maybe even a Greek tragedy. Admission usually costs between $8 and $12 per person; most performances are presented at Cox Auditorium. Call the box office (tel. 435/652-7800; http://tickets.dixie.edu) to find out what's scheduled during your visit.
Music lovers will enjoy St. George's own Southwest Symphonic Chorale and Southwest Symphony, the only full symphony orchestra between Provo and Las Vegas. Its repertoire includes classical, opera, and popular music. Get tickets early for the annual Christmas production of Handel's Messiah -- it usually sells out. Concerts are usually scheduled from October to May (tel. 435/688-8183; www.southwestsymphony.org).
Broadway musicals and plays are presented in a September-through-April season by St. George Musical Theater, 735 E. Tabernacle (tel. 435/628-8755; www.sgmt.org). Recent productions have included Annie Get Your Gun and Singing in the Rain; tickets cost $10 to $15.
The St. George Tabernacle presents free concerts (including half-hour organ recitals) on Saturday at 12:15pm and Fridays at 7pm. (The latter are held Wed from Labor Day to Memorial Day.) For information on these and other programs, call tel. 435/673-5181.
Not far from St. George, at 1100 Tuacahn Dr. in Ivins, is the Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts (tel. 800/746-9882 or 435/652-3300; www.tuacahn.org). Surrounded by towering red-rock cliffs, this 2,000-seat state-of-the-art outdoor theater presents original and Broadway productions from June through September, and at other times is the venue for big-name music acts, such as Kenny Rogers. It also hosts the annual Christmas Festival of Lights, during which Christmas lights illuminate the buildings and grounds at Tuacahn. Reservations are recommended. Tickets for the musicals vary, but are generally in the range of $20 to $60 for adults and $20 to $40 for children 11 and under. Dutch-oven dinners are served before the productions ($13 for adults and $9.50 for children).
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
